Preparing Your Body and Mind for Colder Weather

It’s been a long and hot summer, but autumn is very much on its way. You might have noticed leaves crunching underfoot as you walk, or dropping from the trees when the wind blows.

You might find yourself closing the curtains to the dark night much earlier than you would have just a few short weeks ago, and there can be no denying that the temperature is dropping. After such a long fun summertime, many of us are actually looking forward to colder weather.

Whether or not you enjoy autumn, looking forward to getting cosy in chunky jumpers and waterproof boots, or you are a summer girl who loves nothing more than laying on the beach on a hot sunny day, you might be looking forward to being cool again.

You may be ready for the colder months, eager to spend some time at home, indulging on winter casseroles and warming treats. Thoughts of Halloween and even Christmas might be popping into your head, and you might have happily taken your winter clothing out of storage.

But, while much of the coming months are sure to be fun and exciting, it’s not all good news. During the winter months, we are more likely to pick up coughs, colds, and even more serious health conditions. It’s not uncommon to find that we jump from one winter bug to the next, and illnesses like the winter vomiting bug can spread like wildfire.

Many of us also find that we struggle with our mental health more during colder weather, especially after Christmas, when the days are short, there’s less to look forward to, it’s colder than ever, and winter seems to be dragging on. Seasonal depression appears to become more common with every passing year, and if it’s something that you have fought off in the past, you may be wondering if it’s likely to return later this year.

Other problems that face us over the next few months might be weight gain, poor skin condition, lack of sleep, stress, and a drop in fitness, all of which, added to the usual coughs and colds of winter can mean that as the weather gets colder, you find it harder to feel yourself and that each day can become a tiresome battle.

Fortunately, there is plenty that you can do right now to help to prepare both your body and mind for wintertime, before the colder weather really hits. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Stock Up On Remedies

There’s nothing worse than waking up one day feeling absolutely awful and knowing that you’ve just got to get on with life. Even if you are lucky enough to be able to take some time off from work to rest and get better, there might be kids to look after or other responsibilities.

The last thing that you want is to find that you’ve got nothing at home that will make you feel better. So, stock up on some essential medicines from Simple Online Pharmacy now, in preparation.

You might also want to make sure you’ve got things like a hot water bottle, tissues, cooling packs for your forehead, and comforting treats. Basically, in winter, make sure you’ve always got a steady supply of both medicines and home remedies to turn to as soon as you need them.

Surround Yourself with Positivity

Whether you suffer from seasonal depression or not, chances are there are horrible dark days, when you feel like you haven’t seen the sunlight for weeks, when you get into a bit of a grump. On these days, it’s easy to fall into a negative place.

To get down on yourself, to have doubts about your life choices, and to want nothing more than to hide under a duvet.

Do Things That Make You Happy

How often do you do something for yourself? Not things like cooking and cleaning that benefit the household, but things that are just for you? Like snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a good book in the afternoon instead of getting on with your to-do list? Or taking a nice hot bath in the evening, instead of a rushed shower right before bed because that’s all that you’ve got time for?

When was the last time you bought something for yourself, just because you wanted it? As adults, we’re terrible at making time for ourselves, but it’s an integral part of self-care. Do one thing for yourself, that makes you happy, every single day and your mood will soon improve.

Keep Your Home Warm

There’s something romantic and festive about being wrapped up warm in the winter. But, not when you don’t feel very well, and your home is freezing. In a cold house, it’s harder to stay warm. It’s harder to fight off infection and get the rest that you need. So, prepare your body and mind for cooler weather by also preparing your home.

This is the perfect time to get your boiler serviced if it’s been a while, to make sure you can rely on it in a few months when you really need it. It’s also a great time to look at switching to a more cost-efficient energy provider, and to check windows and door seals, to make sure that they are ready to keep cold air out. Read up on other ways to keep your house warm here.

Develop a Winter Skincare Routine

Do you find yourself with a dry, red nose, flakey skin, sore hands and spots, every single winter, only to promise yourself that you’ll take steps to prevent it next year? Well, this is the time to work on that winter skincare routine. Winter is a tough time for your skin.

Harsh winds and low temperatures can be damaging, and more makeup for festive parties won’t help. So, start as you mean to go on. Try to stick to one brand to avoid introducing too many chemicals and ingredients, but make sure that you cleanse, tone and moisturise morning and night, never sleep in your makeup, and always keep your brushes clean.

Make Some Diet Changes

It’s so much harder to get out of bed in the winter when even sticking an arm out of the duvet has you retreating back in with a shiver. This often means that we’re running late and rushed and that we skip breakfast, or eat a quick snack on the go.

Try to get some fruit first thing in the morning, as well as a high fibre cereal, to boost your energy levels. You might also want to add a low-fat yoghurt to aid digestion and keep you full until lunch.

Other diet changes to make include adding more fruit and veg, cutting greasy foods and avoiding too many fats filled comforting meals (the odd treat won’t hurt!). Don’t just overeat because it’s colder and you can get away with it. Look after your diet, and you’ll feel better, and be less chance of getting sick.